Oxbow?

[blackmax135]

I had a guy telling me he has been catching most of his fish in the oxbows in our river.  I don't really understand what that means or what it really is or where he is fishing.  Anybody know?

[Matthew2000]

When the river almost circles around a piece of land. In a curved pattern does a U shape but a bit more curved in.

[Ozark_Basser]

In cold water, bass don't like fighting current. They will seek out deep water and places where they can seek refuge from current no matter how high the water gets. Oxbows and places where the river makes a sharp turn tend to be good places to find both of these.

[blackmax135]

Ok i understand what an oxbow is now. So is it and oxbow lake that these Fish are holding in? Or is it a certain part of an oxbow were there current is Still flowing?

[Dyerbassman]

Look for places in the oxbow bends where there is a current break. Behind logs, rocks, etc. Bass will hide out of the current waiting for lunch to float by.

[Ratherbfishing]

An Oxbow is where, at some point in time, a meandering river takes a more direct or straight path and leaves a section of the "former" river cut off from the rest.  It's basically becomes a lake or pond.  During high water, oxbows are prone to receiving new water from the swollen river but when the water recedes, the Oxbow is cut off again.  They are generally rich in nutrients

 

Apart from during high water, there isn't usually any current in an oxbow.

[Ozark_Basser]

An Oxbow is where, at some point in time, a meandering river takes a more direct or straight path and leaves a section of the "former" river cut off from the rest.  It's basically becomes a lake or pond.  During high water, oxbows are prone to receiving new water from the swollen river but when the water recedes, the Oxbow is cut off again.  They are generally rich in nutrients

 

Apart from during high water, there isn't usually any current in an oxbow.

Just googled oxbow. It is just a u shape bend in a river.

Look for places in the oxbow bends where there is a current break. Behind logs, rocks, etc. Bass will hide out of the current waiting for lunch to float by.

I find this true in periods of warmer water but not so much in the winter unless the current breaks are large like wing dams.

Ok i understand what an oxbow is now. So is it and oxbow lake that these Fish are holding in? Or is it a certain part of an oxbow were there current is Still flowing?

???? Do you have oxbow lakes where you fish? I would just focus on places that have no current and have access to deeper water. Flats adjacent to deep water are always good asnwell during the winter.

[Ratherbfishing]

Just googled oxbow. It is just a u shape bend in a river.

 

Sorry, gonna stick with the definition I provided.  Here is another:

 

An oxbow lake is a U-shaped body of water that forms when a wide meander from the main stem of a river is cut off, creating a free-standing body of water. This land form is so named for its distinctive curved shape, resembling the bow pin of an oxbow.

[Ozark_Basser]

Sorry, gonna stick with the definition I provided.  Here is another:

 

An oxbow lake is a U-shaped body of water that forms when a wide meander from the main stem of a river is cut off, creating a free-standing body of water. This land form is so named for its distinctive curved shape, resembling the bow pin of an oxbow.

I agree that is what an oxbow lake is.

[blackmax135]

Yes we have oxbow lakes on our river.  I tend to fish the lakes a lot fishing around laydown because there is not a lot of difference on the bottom of the lake it just kinda stays the same and is flat. The only difference is one side is more of a bluff wall and the other side is a more of a shallow bank.  Now that I know were this lake come from it has opened my eyes a lot because I never knew how that lake was created until now. DUHH!!  Wow!!  Ok so if there is an oxbow that has not been created into a lake yet would you fish the whole U shape or a certain point of it?

 

Just googled oxbow. It is just a u shape bend in a river.


I find this true in periods of warmer water but not so much in the winter unless the current breaks are large like wing dams.


???? Do you have oxbow lakes where you fish? I would just focus on places that have no current and have access to deeper water. Flats adjacent to deep water are always good asnwell during the winter.

[scaleface]

Ive done a lot of fishing in shallow oxbow lakes. One of the best places to get on a fantastic buzzbait bite .

[blackmax135]

Ive done a lot of fishing in shallow oxbow lakes. One of the best places to get on a fantastic buzzbait bite .

I did figure this out the past fall.  I have never had so much action before until I tried the buzz bait on the oxbow lake I fish.  There was one tree top I threw my buzz bait into and caught 4 bass on 4 cast.  I couldn't believe it.

[Ozark_Basser]

Yes we have oxbow lakes on our river.  I tend to fish the lakes a lot fishing around laydown because there is not a lot of difference on the bottom of the lake it just kinda stays the same and is flat. The only difference is one side is more of a bluff wall and the other side is a more of a shallow bank.  Now that I know were this lake come from it has opened my eyes a lot because I never knew how that lake was created until now. DUHH!!  Wow!!  Ok so if there is an oxbow that has not been created into a lake yet would you fish the whole U shape or a certain point of it?

That question is not easy to answer without seeing the exact spot where you are wanting to fish and knowing what's underwater. I can tell you that bluffs are good all year round. If one side of the lake is bluff walls and the other side is flat, the channel probably swings right up against the bluff wall. If there is a flat adjacent to the end or beginning of the bluff wall, then that spot is probably going to be money in the winter, especially if the bluffs have deep water below them. The main thing about oxbows and oxbow lakes that appeals to winter bass is the lack of current. Not only that, but they often times have spots that provide refuge from current no matter how high the water gets. Bass don't like current so much in cold water, they don't want to expend that kind of energy.

Think about it like this. Let's pretend that a river just zig zags from north to south all the way from the beginning to the end. No islands, etc, or any other irregularities. The straight stretches will have a channel running through the middle. In periods of high water that channel will extend from one side of the bank to the other if it already doesn't. If you were a bass in cold water trying to expend as little energy as possible, would you want to spend the majority of your time there? Probably not. When the river makes that u shaped turn from north to south things change. The channel will swing to the outside. In periods of high water these are the areas that change the most. Trees, gravel, and whatever else get washed in creating contour changes and providing cover. When the water level recedes, so does the current leaving washed out areas with cover, sharp contour changes, and no current. In other words, good wintering holes for bass. Over time these areas can form oxbow lakes, but you don't have to go around just fishing oxbow lakes in the winter. Just try to find areas with no current, access to deep water, and a good amount of structure and cover. If you find an area with all of these you've hit the jackpot, and it will probably hold fish all year round, but they will stack up there in the winter.

[blackmax135]

That question is not easy to answer without seeing the exact spot where you are wanting to fish and knowing what's underwater. I can tell you that bluffs are good all year round. If one side of the lake is bluff walls and the other side is flat, the channel probably swings right up against the bluff wall. If there is a flat adjacent to the end or beginning of the bluff wall, then that spot is probably going to be money in the winter, especially if the bluffs have deep water below them. The main thing about oxbows and oxbow lakes that appeals to winter bass is the lack of current. Not only that, but they often times have spots that provide refuge from current no matter how high the water gets. Bass don't like current so much in cold water, they don't want to expend that kind of energy.

Think about it like this. Let's pretend that a river just zig zags from north to south all the way from the beginning to the end. No islands, etc, or any other irregularities. The straight stretches will have a channel running through the middle. In periods of high water that channel will extend from one side of the bank to the other if it already doesn't. If you were a bass in cold water trying to expend as little energy as possible, would you want to spend the majority of your time there? Probably not. When the river makes that u shaped turn from north to south things change. The channel will swing to the outside. In periods of high water these are the areas that change the most. Trees, gravel, and whatever else get washed in creating contour changes and providing cover. When the water level recedes, so does the current leaving washed out areas with cover, sharp contour changes, and no current. In other words, good wintering holes for bass. Over time these areas can form oxbow lakes, but you don't have to go around just fishing oxbow lakes in the winter. Just try to find areas with no current, access to deep water, and a good amount of structure and cover. If you find an area with all of these you've hit the jackpot, and it will probably hold fish all year round, but they will stack up there in the winter.

WOW!! I couldn't have asked for a better explanation.  Thanks!!  Now I know what to look for.